Chapter 12 — JACOB AND ESAU

God knows the end from the beginning. Before Jacob and Esau were born God knew the kinds of characters they would develop. He knew Esau would not want to obey Him.SRme 1.308

Rebekah was sad because she had no children. She prayed and God told her she would have two sons. Then God told Rebekah about the future of her two sons. God said the older son would serve the younger son. The descendants of each son would become a nation. The younger son's nation would be the greater of the two nations.SRme 1.309

In Bible times the first-born son received special advantages and privileges that no one else in the family could receive. Esau was the first-born. Isaac loved Esau more than he loved Jacob because Esau was a hunter who brought him deer meat. Isaac was pleased with Esau's courage and love of adventure, which was shown by hunting wild animals. But Jacob was the favorite son of Rebekah because he was gentle and made his mother happy.SRme 1.310

Rebekah taught Jacob what God had told her about the older brother serving the younger. Jacob decided this promise could not be fulfilled while Esau had the privileges that belonged to the first-born. So one day when Esau came home after hunting and was weak from hunger, Jacob decided to take advantage of his weakness. He offered to let Esau eat the lentil stew he was cooking if Esau would be willing to give up his first-born privileges. Esau sold Jacob his first-born rights for a dish of stew.SRme 1.311

Later Esau married two wives who worshiped idols. This brought much heartache to Isaac and Rebekah. But Isaac continued to love Esau more than Jacob. When Isaac thought he was dying, he asked Esau to prepare some deer meat for him. Isaac planned to bless Esau, as the first-born son when Esau brought Isaac the meat. Esau had not told his father he had sold his birthright to Jacob, sealing the sale with an oath.SRme 1.312

When Rebekah heard what Isaac planned to do, she remembered that God had said to her, "The older shall serve the younger." She knew Esau was not very interested in the first-born's special rights. She knew Esau had sold the special rights to Jacob. Rebekah urged Jacob to deceive Isaac so Jacob could get the father's blessing instead of Esau. She believed the only way Jacob could receive the blessing was to deceive Isaac. Jacob did not want to deceive his father. But finally he agreed to follow his mother's plans.SRme 1.313

Rebekah knew how much Isaac favored Esau. She was sure she could not think of a good reason that would change his mind about giving Esau the blessing. And she did not trust God to work things out according to His plan. She showed her lack of faith by urging Jacob to deceive his father. God did not approve Rebekah's plan or Jacob's actions. Rebekah and Jacob should have waited patiently for God to fulfill His promises in His own way and in His own time. But Rebekah and Jacob used deceit.SRme 1.314

If Esau had received the first-born's blessing from Isaac, the true blessing could come only from God. God would bless Esau with riches or bring trouble on him, depending on how Esau acted. If Esau would love and worship God, as righteous Abel, he would be accepted and blessed by God. If Esau did not respect God and keep His commandments, as wicked Cain he would not receive a blessing from God. If Esau followed his own evil ways, he would be rejected by God just as Cain had been.SRme 1.315

If Jacob lived righteously and loved and worshiped God, he would be blessed. God would provide all he needed, whether or not Jacob received the blessing and the privileges given to the first-born.SRme 1.316